A goat tries to head to higher ground at the flooded Lake Superior Zoo.

Animals Scatter (and Swim) as Lake Superior Zoo Floods

Flooding from torrential downpours in Duluth, Minn., led to chaos at the Lake Superior Zoo. A polar bear who escaped from an enclosure had to be tranquilized, and seals were seen swimming out to a local road. According to the Duluth News Tribune, several farm animals and birds died when they were swept away by the waters. — Watch it at USA Today, and learn how you can help

Dogs Can Help Prevent Kids From Developing Asthma

Scientists at the University of California, San Francisco, found that exposure to dust from homes with a dog helped protect mice from RSV, a common virus that infects the lungs and breathing passages, causing respiratory illness in young kids. The infection is associated with an increased risk of respiratory problems later in life, such as asthma and allergies. The findings support the theory that exposure to germs in early childhood helps strengthen the immune system, reducing the risk of respiratory diseases. — Read it at Time

Woman With a Guide Dog Is Tossed From an Ann Taylor Store

Becky Andrews, who suffers from a degenerative eye disease that’s left her nearly blind, was asked to leave a Salt Lake City Ann Taylor store while shopping with her guide dog. A representative for the chain said that the dog was out of his harness, but Andrews maintains that Cricket was clipped in — and KSL reports that he doesn’t need to be harnessed under the law. Andrews eventually received an apology. — Read it at KSL

Things Get Wild on the Set of Today

For some of the anchors of NBC’s Today show, working in Studio 1A felt more like being in a zoo on Wednesday. The anchors tried to keep their cool as zoo animals literally roamed the set, including a kangaroo joey and a porcupine. “What is happening in this segment?” exclaimed a surprised Savannah Guthrie as a baby owl began flying around the set. — Watch it at Today

Goat Moms Remember Their Kids’ Bleats

A new study finds that mother goats have long-term memory when it comes to their own kids. According to one of the researchers, mama goats can identify their kids' bleats a year after they are separated, noting "they react more to the calls of the kid from a previous year than to the calls of familiar kids born to other females" a year after weaning. — Read it at Live Science via the Huffington Post